Firewood for Winter

Saturday was my first Saturday off since early May.
It will be my last Saturday off for the next five weeks.

Michael went to Burritt's to sample mixes and I stayed home.
It was a beautiful fall day.

I started the wood splitter and spent the entire day splitting and stacking wood.

For the first time, EVER, since we bought Creekside,
I completed splitting and stacking the wood
that we will need this winter!

Until this year, I was splitting wood throughout the winter,
because I never had time to complete the task before the snow fell.

We like to heat our home as much as we can with wood,
so we use about ten to twelve face cords per winter.

The carport, which has never been used for a carport,
is stacked top to bottom, front to back and side to side with firewood.

I am so excited that this project is done!

I have a new large stack of about 100 feet of pine that we just obtained last week,
after it fell on and smashed in our friend's roof.

He wanted it off his property (which I totally understand why)
and we needed firewood, so the pine is now on our property.

My winter project will be to split and stack that pine for next year's burning.
It will be so nice to actually be ahead of the firewood project!

Trees

As I was packing mixes to ship on Friday afternoon,
I looked out the window and saw this beautiful tree.

I hurried outside to photograph the very bright tree
against the dark, dark background of clouds.

Just I walked outside, the other trees were also bathed in sunlight.

As soon as I took the photograph,
the clouds behind me stole the sun away
and it was dark again.

It was beautiful while it lasted.

Isn't She Adorable?

Welcome our newest doggie of the week.

We forgot her name but we cannot forget her adorable face!

If we meet her parents this weekend, we will find out her name again.

Have a great weekend! Looks like it will be the best beautiful fall day we have had in years!

Lone Apple

We have a Honey Crisp apple tree.

The tree is about six years old and has produced two apples so far.

Last year, we had one Honey Crisp apple on our Honey Crisp apple tree.
We picked it too soon and it was not sweet enough.

This year, we had one apple on our Honey Crisp apple tree.
I talked to Al at Bakkers Acres who knows his apples.
Al told me when to pick that apple for the best taste.

Here is the "official" apple picking ceremony.

We had the solo Honey Crisp apple for dessert tonight.
We have to say that it was the best apple we have ever eaten!

Welcome new Hallmark stores

Welcome to a new family of Hallmark gift stores in West Michigan.

Di's Hallmark has three locations in Muskegon.

Di's Hallmark also has stores in Grand Rapids, Grandville, Kentwood,
Byron Center, Caledonia and Grand Haven.

Mariellen's Hallmark has a store in Ludington.

Three stores carry six of our best sellers.
The others carry twelve different flavors of our mixes.
You will be sure to find a taste for everyone!

Be sure to tell them that I sent you!

Double Doggies of the Week

Here are our latest doggies of the week.

Meet Peter Pan and Celia Tiffany.

They come as a team, so we get to say "Double Doggies of the Week."

They ride very nicely in a backpack when they visit the Frankfort Farm Market
and get so much attention!

Sooo cute!

Castle Farms Craft Show

Join us this Saturday or Sunday at Castle Farms in Charlevoix for the Royal Craft Show.

Hours are 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Saturday and 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Sunday.

If you want to buy something unique and creative for Christmas gifts,
Castle Farms is the place to be.
There will be over 125 artists and craftsmen, with all kinds of handmade items.

We will offer our usual mixes,
plus some very pretty Christmas cookie cutters with our sugar cookie mixes.

We look forward to seeing you this weekend!

10,000 down, 10,000 to go

I am not sure when it officially happened, but we sold over 10,000 mixes so far this year. Exact total is 10,762! Yippee!

Last year, the official 10,000 mixes sold date was September 17. Looks like we are a month ahead of schedule.

We are still working on the 20,000 goal for 2011!

Thank you to all of you who purchased mixes at the Farmers Markets, on the web, or at a local gift or food store. We appreciate you!

We love our "funny little business!"

Double D Day

Friday is Double D Day.

First, we celebrate "Doggie of the Week."

This Doggie of the Week came from the Northport Farmers Market,
a few weeks ago.

Meet Joey, the very shy dachshund who did not want to be photographed.
He is still cute, even if he did not want to smile.

Friday is also "Doughnut Day!"

My market neighbor Melissa Drake from Cherry Beach Orchards
walks a block to Barb's Bakery in Northport
and brings back a yummy custard filled chocolate doughnut for me.

Every few days, while we are at the other Farmers Markets,
we talk about "Doughnut Day"
in anticipation of the Friday Farmers Market.

I confess, we do not really "talk" about it.
We yell "Friday Doughnut Day!" when we discuss the event.

It is the little things that amuse me!!!

Ingredients

In case you want to know what goes into your chocolate mixes, here it is!

Sugar on the left, cocoa on the right and chocolate chips on top.

More ingredients go into each mix, but this is a good start!

The kitchen smells so good when Michael mixes chocolate!

Today, Michael is making me two kinds of chocolate cake to taste test for new recipes.
This is my birthday cake.
I have to work as Director of Taste Testing even on my birthday,
but what a great job it is!
I will let you know the results.